Page 44 of Rescuing Riley
Star bounced onto the set, and the host, Dash Diamond, greeted her.
As if Charlie knew, he came into the room, licking his chops. When they’d gotten home from Gold Coast General, Charlie had beelined for his food bowl, which he hadn’t touched yet that morning. He jumped up onto the sofa and got comfy as he gazed at the TV.
“I predict you two will be married within a year, two at the most,” Dad said.
Josh full-on belly laughed, petting Charlie. “Hey, boy. Do you think I’ll be married to Riley one day?”
He yawned.
On that note, Josh checked his phone to see if his bride-to-be had texted or left him a voice mail.Bride-to-be.That thought made him laugh again.
“Nothing from Riley.” Josh kissed Dad on the head. “Charlie is staying here for a couple of hours. He looks as tired as you.”
Josh usually gave Charlie a day or two off, although the golden retriever liked to be at the inn, greeting people on occasion and staying by Josh’s side.
“We’ll be napping until my caregiver gets here. Let me know if you find out anything on Liza.” Worry plagued Dad’s voice.
Charlie curled up, yawning once again.
Josh kissed the dog too. “I’ll be back shortly.”
As soon as he was outside, Josh called Riley. He’d been dying to talk to her since he’d hung up with her about two hours before. He’d been checking his phone constantly too. Josh pressed the phone to his ear, and the line rang three times before Riley’s voice mail picked up. She was probably still talking to Taylor. He didn’t leave a message. He didn’t want to come off as desperate, even though he was for two reasons. He was finding that her voice had a way of calming him, and he wanted news on Liza.
Josh’s next call was to Liza. Not surprisingly, her voice mail picked up the second the line connected. Then he called the SFPD to see if they had any leads on Liza since he’d filed a missing person report.
Josh waited to be connected to Officer Tanner as he sauntered the one block to the inn. When he arrived at the main entrance, Tanner’s voice came through the line.
“Josh, I don’t have any leads. I’m sorry.”
Josh wondered if Tanner or anyone within the department was even trying hard. “Thanks. I also wanted to tell you that the FBI is looking for my cousin too.”
“What? Since when?” Tanner asked.
“Since yesterday.” When Tanner and his partner had dragged Josh down to the precinct, Josh had brought them up to speed on who Liza had worked for back in Boston and what he suspected.
“Honestly, maybe they’ll have better luck than us. We have a high caseload.”
That wasn’t exactly what Josh wanted to hear. He believed they had a better chance if they all worked together or if they at least had everyone looking for Liza. “Please keep trying.”
“I’ll call you if I find anything,” Tanner said.
Pocketing his phone, Josh ambled into the inn with one purpose in mind—to find Agents Wallace and Dennison.
Drake waved Josh over as soon as Josh stepped inside.
Josh circled the front desk then tapped a few keys on the computer until he found Wallace’s room number.
“I take it there’s no word on Liza. Did Riley get anywhere with that assistant?” Drake rubbed his bald head. “And where’s Charlie?”
“No on Liza. Don’t know on Riley, and Charlie is napping with my dad.” Josh dialed Wallace’s room. “Agent Wallace, Josh here. Any word from the hospitals?”
“I was just coming down to find you,” Wallace said. “None of the hospitals report anyone by the name of Liza Bandon, but I do have other information. Are you free to meet me in the restaurant?”
Josh’s pulse quickened so fast, he had to catch his breath. “Can you tell me over the phone? Did you find Liza?”
“I’m on a call right now with the Boston office. We might have a breakthrough. Meet me in fifteen minutes.” He sounded indifferent, giving Josh no hint of good news or bad.
Several expletives fell quietly from Josh’s lips as his stomach coiled. It was going to be the longest fifteen minutes of his life.
